Comparison of quantum chemistry calculation methods of nucleic acid base-quartets

Nine base-quartets were calculated by six semi-empirical methods and ab initio Hartree-Fork method using STO-3G basis set. The results showed that PM3 method can be use to calculate base quartets, the results of PM3 calculations are close to the ab initio

Making Connections.

The piece is written for an ensemble of alto/bass flute, alto saxophone, viola, vibraphone/bongos and piano. Written as part of a telematic research project connecting musicians and dancers in remote sites, the work involved a collaboration with musicians at Edinburgh Napier University and dancers at Liverpool John Moores University and Nova Southeastern University, Florida.

Filmy dla muzyki. Egar Varèse i Bill Viola

Anno Mungen focuses on “films made for music” and on the rare phenomenon of ‘music depicted by picture’ (S. Kracauer). The narration about historical metamorphoses of varied forms of coexistence between music and picture is accompanied by a reflection on the laws of audiovisual perception. The main examples are discussed, these concentrating on the artistic ideas of Walt Disney’s animated film Fantasia and – first of all – on Edgard Varèse’s bold ideal of spatial music, attained post mortem in Bill Viola’s Déserts (1994). After a detailed analysis of Viola’s film the author admits that the movie pictures deduced from music are able to render the latter its own substantial visual power.

TRADITION AND INNOVATION: ANALYSIS AND PERFORMANCE OF SELECTED COMPOSITIONS FOR VIOLONCELLO BY HEITOR VILLA-LOBOS

Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959) began his musical career as a cellist. When he was only twelve years old, it became imperativeupon the sudden and untimely death of his fatherthat the young Villa-Lobos earn money as a cellist to provide financial support for his mother and sisters. Villa-Lobos's intimate relationship with the cello eventually inspired him to compose great music for this instrument. This dissertation explores both the diversity of compositional technique and the evolution of style found in the music for cello written by Villa-Lobos. The project consists of two recorded recital performances and a written document exploring and analyzing those pieces. In the study of the music of Villa-Lobos, it is of great interest to consider the music's traditional European elements in combination (or even juxtaposition) with its imaginative and sometimes wildly innovative Brazilian character. His early works were greatly influenced by European Romantic composers such as Robert Schumann, Frédéric Chopin, and the virtuoso cellist/composer David Popper (whom Villa-Lobos idolized). Later, Villa-Lobos flourished in a newfound compositional independence and moved away from Euro-romanticism and toward the folk music of his Brazilian homeland. It is intriguing to experience this transition through an exploration of his cello compositions. The works examined and performed in this dissertation project are chosen from among the extensive number of Villa-Lobos's cello compositions and are his most important works for cello with piano, cello with another instrument, and cello with orchestra. The chosen works demonstrate the evolving range and combination of characteristic elements found in Villa-Lobos's compositional repertoire.

Summer Sprite for Orchestra

Summer Sprite for Orchestra was completed in December, 2004. The piece originated from a singular encounter with little angels at Chang-Kyung Palace, which is the oldest and the most beautiful palace in Korea, and where the kings of the Chosun Dynasty (1393-1897) lived. This encounter was in the summer of 2002. I certainly could not prove that those angels I met were real. Possibly they were the reflection of drops of water after a sudden shower on that summer day. However, I definitely remember that short, unforgettable, and mysterious moment and the angels' beautiful dance-like celebration. Summer Sprite is based on these special memories and the encounter with the little angels that summer. Summer Sprite consists of 3 movements: "Greeting," "Encounter," and "Celebration." These follow the course of my encounter with the little angels. In Summer Sprite, I wished to describe the image of the angels as well as the progression of greeting, encounter, and celebration with them. The moods that follow in Summer Sprite are by turns lyrical, poetic, fantastic, mysterious, and dream-like. In each movement, I describe the meeting of angels and composer through the use of the soloists -- violin (sometimes viola) and cello. As suggested by the subtitle of the first movement, "Greeting" portrays the moment when a surprised I met the angels. It begins with tam-tam, marimba, harp, and piano and sets a mysterious and dark mood. The second movement, "Encounter," is shorter than the first movement. This movement provides a more tranquil mood as well as more unique timbres resulting from the use of mutes and special instruments (English horn, harp, crotales, suspended cymbal, and celesta). The delicate expression of the percussion is particularly important in establishing the static mood of this movement . The last movement, °?Celebration,°± is bright and energetic. It is also the longest. Here, I require the most delicate changes of dynamics and tempo, the most vigorous harmonies, and the fastest rhythmic figures, as well as the most independent, lyrical, and poetic melodies. For bright orchestral tone color, I used various kinds of percussion such as timpani, xylophone, marimba, vibraphone, cymbals, side drum, tambourine, triangle, and bass drum. This last movement is divided rondo-like into five sections: The first (mm.1-3), second (mm.4 - rehearsal number 1), third (rehearsal numbers 2-4), fourth (rehearsal numbers 5-7), and fifth, (rehearsal numbers 8 -18). To sum up, Summer Sprite describes an unforgettable and mysterious moment in a my life. My intention was to portray this through a concerto-like framework. A model for this would be Brahms°Ø °?Double Concerto°± in A minor, op.102, in which the solo cello stands for my angel and the solo violin (sometimes solo viola) for me.

REQUIRED VIOLA REPERTOIRE FOR THE PRIMROSE COMPETITION AND THE TERTIS COMPETITION

William Primrose (1903-1982) and Lionel Tertis (1876-1975) made the viola a grand instrument for public performances of solo and chamber music throughout their long and active lives characterized by a common passion for the viola. I, too, have been deeply inspired by their passion for the viola. I chose, therefore, for my doctoral performance project to feature works for viola from the required repertoire of the William Primrose and Lionel Tertis competitions of 2001 and 2003, respectively. For purposes of the performances, I divided selections from the combined repertoire for the William Primrose and Lionel Tertis competitions into three recitals. The first recital included Sonata, Opus 120, No.2 in E-flat Major (1894) by Johannes Brahms; Sonata, Opus 147 (1975) by Dmitri Shostakovich; and Sonata (1919) by Rebecca Clarke. These pieces represent standard components of the general repertoire for both the Primrose and Tertis competitions. The second recital was comprised of two works dedicated by their composers to Primrose: Lachrymae, Opus 48 (1950) by Benjamin Britten; and Concerto (1945) by Bela Bartok. The third recital included three pieces dedicated by their composers to Tertis: Sonata (1922) by Arnold Bax; Sonata in C Minor (1905) by York Bowen; and Sonata (1952) by Arthur Bliss. The goal of my preparation for these recitals was to emphasize a variety of techniques and, also, the unique timbre of the viola. For example, the works I selected emphasized high-position technique, which was not much used before the nineteenth century, and featured the lowest string (the C-string), which provides a beautifully somber and austere sonority characteristic of the viola. For these reasons, the selected works provided not only attractive and interesting pieces to study and perform but were also of educational merit.

SOLOS DE CONCOURS FOR FLUTE AT THE PARTS CONSERVATORY: TWO DECADES-1900s AND 1940s

The topic of this dissertation is the concours pieces for flute at the Paris Conservatory covering two decades. The works are used for exit examination pieces for graduating students at the conservatory. The music is chosen by the director, the professors in the performance area, and a committee of other professors. These pieces still seem to be among the more important pieces known by flutists in the twenty-first century, and they are also frequently used as required audition pieces by conservatories, orchestras, and competitions. I have performed the works used for examination in two decades separated by almost half a century: The pieces from 1900 to 1909 and from 1940-1949, This performance dissertation contains three recital programs, and the recordings of the recitals are filed electronicaIly. I have grouped them according to contrasting styles in three recitals. Works performed are Agrestide (1942) by Eugene Bozza, Andante et Scherzo (1945) by Francois J. Brun, Preude et Scherzo (1908) by Henri Busser, Concertino (1902) by Cecile Chaminade, sixth Solo (1855) by Jules Demersseman (it was on the concours of 1896, dates which are outside the scope of this dissertation), Sonatine (1943) by Henri Dutilleux, Cantabile et Presto (1904) by Georges Enesco, Andante et Scheno (1901) by Louis Ganne, Fantaisie (1920) by Philippe Gaubert, Nocturne et Allegro Scherzando (1906) by Philippe Gaubert, Chant de Linos (1944) by Andre Jolivet, Fantasiestuck (1947) by Henri Martelli, Eglogue (1909) by Jules Mouquet, Concerto in A (1945-1949) by mile Passani, Ballade (1903) by Albert Perhilou, Sonatine (1946) by Pierre Sancan, Andante Pastorale et Scherzettim (1907) by Paul Taffanel, and Concertino in E Major (1945) by Henri Tornasi. Cantabile et Presto was required in both 1904 and 1940, and Andante et Scherzo was required in both 1901 and 1905.

AN EXAMINATION OF 19TH CENTURY AUSTROGERMAN VIOLIN SONATAS

For my dissertation recital project, I traced the course of the violin-piano sonata in Austro- German in the 19th century, after Beethoven. My project presented works in three general categories. First, I presented works that are frequently-played standards of the violin sonata repertoire, works by Johannes Brahms, Franz Schubert, and Robert Schumann. The Second category is works by composers better known for their other compositions: Felix Mendelssohn and Richard Strauss. Finally, I choose the works seldom played these days, but worth of consideration, by Carl Maria von Weber and Max Reger. For my first recital, I performed Schubert's Violin Sonata, No. 1, Op. 137 in D major, Schumann's Violin Sonata, No. 1, Op. 105 in a minor, and Brahms' Violin Sonata, No.3, Op. 108 in d minor, with Naoko Takao as pianist. My second recital included works of Weber's Sonata, No. 1, Op. lob, in F major, Mendelssohn's Sonata, in F major (1838), and Schumann's Sonata, No.Z,Op.121 in d minor with Grace Cho. I concluded my final recital with the works of Reger's Violin Sonata, No. 1, Op. 1 in d minor and Strauss' Violin Sonata, Op. 18 in E flat major, Soo-Young Jung at the piano. All three programs are documented in a digital audio format available on compact disc, with accompanying programs also available in digital format.